Media statement | 23 May 2006

Tauranga school takes road safety prize for getting kids safely on their feet

A school programme with the dual purpose of improving road safety and promoting student health and fitness has won the New Zealand Road Safety Education Award.

Kids on Feet (K.O.F) was designed to encourage children at Greerton Village School in Tauranga to walk to and from school to address concerns that a child would be injured as a result of chaotic traffic and irresponsible parking behaviour at the school gates.

The programme, involving several community agencies, set up drop off zones away from the school gate, a KOF card which recorded each child’s ‘mileage’, in addition to the training and involvement of Year 6 students as K.O.F Street Leaders.

"This is a walk-to-school-programme with a difference" says judging panel member Michael Gross. "It encourages and rewards students who are currently walking to school, and also encourages other children who could walk by providing incentives.

"Children who are driven to school can be dropped off at one of the four drop off zones that are 500 metres from the school gate, decreasing the traffic chaos around the school area."

By the end of last year 45% of students were walking to school from the drop off zone, 65% were walking home, and the school gate chaos was eliminated. This exceeded the school's expectations.

"Greerton Village School is to be congratulated for tackling two serious problems - road safety and health - head-on by creating a programme that is fun and positive," said Mr Gross.

For more information:

Andy Knackstedt
Media Manager
Land Transport New Zealand
Ph: 04 931 8829 or 0212 763 222

Background information on the awards

The Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards programme is funded by the Road Safety Trust and administered by Land Transport New Zealand. The awards organising committee includes representatives from the New Zealand Automobile Association, the AA Driver Education Foundation, New Zealand Police, ACC and Land Transport New Zealand.

There are five categories, plus the Premier award:

• Road Safety Education Award
• Road Safety Community Award
• Road Safety in Organisations Award
• Road Safety Vehicle Based Award
• Road Safety Road-engineering Award

All entries in the were evaluated by a three member expert judging panel comprised of Michael Gross, Dr Carolyn Cogan, Director of the Safe Communities Foundation of New Zealand, and Suzanne Sinclair, chair of the Road Safety Trust.